Floor seal



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FLOOR SEAL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 23, 1963 Filed June 13, 1961 /JV NINVENTOR. AY APO/f ATTORNEY United States Patent Oce 3,086,261 FLOORSEAL Ray Lapof, Lake Success, N .Y., assignor to Torjesen, Inc., NewYork, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed June 13, 1961, Ser. No.116,735 6 Claims. (Cl. 20-68) This invention relates to`foldingpartitions or doors, and more particularly to seals for such doors or`folding partitions, to span the space between the lower door edge andthe floor. More particularly, this invention relates to pneumaticallydepressed door seals and particularly for door -seals required to beprojected a considerable distance beneath the lower edge of the door andto iloor engaging contact.

'I'his invention is a continuation-in-part of my application Serial No.6,933, tiled February 5, 1960, and entitled Folding Partition and SealTherefor.

While my invention is described in connection with a single door orpanel, it will be readily recognized that the same is adapted for usewith a panel which is one of a series of panels such as disclosed in myaforesaid application and used 'for subdividing gymnasiums, auditoriums,banquet halls, and the like. In such installations, it is desirable tosoundproof the divided space, so that a minimum of the sounds generatedon one side of .the partition yare transmitted through` the partition tothe other separated space. Where the partition is suspended, so that thelower edge thereof is a considerable distance from the floor, forinstance, a distance `from two to three inches, it will be obvious thatto secure a sealing effect, a floor 4seal must travel a distanceapproximately at least equal to the separation of the door edge andtloor. In my co-pending application, I have illustrated and described apneumatically actuated apparatus capable of projecting a seal into floorengagement of irregular or warped outline. While the seal structuretherein illustrated constitutes a considerable advance over sealactuating mechanisms heretofore known, I have discovered, and it is anobject of this invention to provide, an improved tloor seal andactuating mechanism therefor. Particularly, this invention is adaptedfor use in instances where relatively thin panel members are employedand where the floor seals must be projected relatively greater distancesthan contemplated by my prior application.

As described in my prior application, door seal articulation may beachieved by means of a pneumatically inflatable element conned within4an expansion chamber having a shiftable wall element which is urgedlinearly out 'of thechamber upon expansion of the element. The linearmovement aforesaid is, in turn, communicated to a' downwardly shiftable-floor seal. I have found for optimum eiciency and optimum life of thepneumatical- 'ly inflatable element, that the vertical expansivedistance to be secured through inflation of such element should be'limited to the widthwise dimension' provided between the sides of thepanel structure. Thus, for instance, where the interior spacing of thelateral walls of an expansion chamber is 2, it is desirable to limit thevertical expansion of the pneumatically inflated element to a distanceof 2". Failure to observe the relationship albove noted, lresults inundue wear ofthe sides of the inflatable member against the walls of theexpansion chamber and ultimately will result in a leak or destruction ofthe inflatable member. The use of Vinilatable members of accordion shapeis undesirable from a cost standpoint and otherwise, since suchstructure will occupy considerable space in the retracted position ofthe floor seal and will be subject to wear and deteriorating intluences:from the factors previously described. It will be 3,086,261 PatentedApr. 23, 1963 readily recognized, therefore, that in a panel orpartition structure, wherein a large seal deflection is desired, andwhere the panel width is relatively small, that a serious problem mayarise in coping with stresses, displacement, and friction resistance inoperating the seal members. Thus, for instance, if a 3 seal deflectionis desired in a structure utilizing panels having only 11/2 clearancebetween the inner panel walls, the use of a single iniiatable member isnot desiralble.

Attempts by me to provide relatively large seal throw by stackingpneumatically inflatable elements, one on top ofthe other, have notprovided a satisfactory solution. Thrs is true because two pneumaticallyinflated elements often tend to inilate at different rates, and thus theentire deection of the seal where two elements are employed, might beeffected by expansion of -but one of the elements, the other elementretaining its uninilated condition. Obviously, the above describedcondition may result in bursting of the over-innated element, 0r at bestin undue wear on such element. Similarly, after repeated inflations, theelasticity of one or the other of the inflatable members may be reducedand a condition as above described may be obtained in which the entiredownward deflection is caused by inflation of the element having reducedelasticity.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a floor sealassembly, for use in combination with one or more doors or panels. Afurther object of this invention is to provide a floor seal actuatorassembly particularly adapted to provide a long throw or deflection ofthe door seal. Still a further object of this invention is to provide adoor seal assembly of the class described having the property ofpermitting Ia relatively great throw of the oor seal member,notwithstanding the confinement of the seal actuator assembly within arelatively narrow panel. Still a lfurther object of this invention is toprovide a floor seal actuating assembly utilizing a plurality ofpneumatically expansible elements, wherein during each seal actuation,the elements are retarded from expanding beyond a predetermineddesirable limit, which limit corresponds substantially to the widthwiseexpansion of the element thereby reducing unwarranted stresses onlocalized areas and -assuring long life and uniform operation.

Still further objects of this invention will appear herein or behereinafter pointed out in connection with the description of theaccompanying drawings in which: FIGURE il is a fragmentary perspectiveview of the lower portion of `a door or panel, showing in phantomprincipal elements of the seal actuating device;

FIGURE 2 is a magnied section taken from line 2 2 of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is a magnied section taken from line 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

-FIGURE 4 is a section similar to FIGURE 3, Showing the position of theparts in the lowered Condition of the seal;

FIGURE 5 is a section taken from the line 5--5 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 6 is a fuither magnified section taken from the line 6 6 ofFIGURE 3;

, `FIGURE 7 is a section taken from the line 7-7 of FIGURE 4.

i In accordance with my invention, a panel 10 which may be a single doorunit, `or may be one of a series of folding panels together forming amovable partition, comprises a generally hollow structure defined byside Walls 11, 12 and edge walls 13 and 14. Beneath the lower edge 15 ofthe panel 10; there is reciprocally supported a seal member 16, thelatter including a rigid supporting body 17 having at its lowermostportion a deformable strip 18 preferably comprising sponge rubber, orthe like. A support strut 19 is spaced upwardly from and carriedparallel to the lower edge 15 of the panel. The seal assembly 16 isspringingly urged upwardly or out of the floor engaging position bytensioned coil springs 20, the upper ends of which springs are securedthrough the medium of appropriate anchoring hooks or eyes to the strut19. The lower ends of springs 20 are secured through eyes formed inbrackets 21 which are fastened to the body portion 17 of the seal 16. Inaddition, the tension springs 20 are secured at their upper ends tostrut 19, the lower ends of said springs 20" being secured through eyes21 carried by blocks 21" between the opposed walls of skirt 22 whichextends upwardly beyond the body portion 17 of the seal and closelyadjacent the inner faces of the side walls 11 and 12 of the panel.

There is interposed between strut 19 and the seal assembly 16 apneumatic expansion assembly now to be described in detail. The assembly30l comprises upper and lower casings or expansion chambers 31, 32,respectively, which casings or chambers include composite openmouthedportions 33, 34, respectively. In the illustrated embodiment, thechambers or casings are shown as generally rectangular in cross-section,but it will be readily understood that other cross-sectionconfigurations may be employed without departing from the spirit of myinvention.

The upper casing 31 is optionally, but preferably, secured to strut 19by screws or similar means which pass through casing support brackets35. The brackets 35 and legs 37 depending therefrom, preferably maintainthe casing 33 spaced apart from the strut 19 for purposes which willappear hereafter. The lower casing 32 is secured by depending brackets3'6 to the rigid portion 17 of the seal member 16. It will thus be Seenthat the upper chamber 31 and lower chamber 32 are fixed respectively tostrut 19 and seal 16 and that the substantially congruent mouth portions33, 34 of the chambers 31, 32, respectively, are in diametricallyopposed or mouth-to-mouth relationship.

A floating block member 40 of a height which somewhat exceeds themaximum desired seal throw or deflection is positioned so that its upperand lower faces 41 and 42, respectively, lie in the raised condition ofthe seal in spaced relation to the uppermost wall 31a of the upperbladder chamber and the lowermost wall 32a of the lower bladder chamber.As best seen in FIGURE 6, the block 40 is provided adjacent theextremities of its upper and lower edges 41 and 42, respectively, withextending ledge portions 43, 43, 44, 44, respectively. The upper andlower chambers 31, 32, respectively, are provided with paired inwardlyextending abutments 45, 45, 46, 46, respectively, which are bolted orotherwise secured adjacent the mouth portions 33, 34, respectively. Itwill be readily recognized that paired abutments 45 will coact withledge portions 43, 43 to prevent block 40 from being displaced fromchamber 31. Similarly, paired abutments or clips 46, 46, will preventthe lower ledge portion 44, 44 of block 40 from passing outwardlythrough the mouth 34 of the lower chamber 32. By providing removablysecured clips 45, 46, it is possible rst to insert the block 40 in theupper and the lower chambers, and then to lock the same againstdisplacement from said chambers. Also, in case of rupture of a bladder,the removability of clips 45, 46 provides access for replacement of thebladder.

There is interposed ybetween the upper wall 31a of chamber 31 and theupper face 41 of block 40, a pneumatically expansible member 51, asimilar pneumatically expansible member 52 being disposed between thelower face 42 of block 40 and the lower wall portion 32a of the lowerchamber 32. Pneumatic members 51, 52 may comprise any number of knownair impervious materials, neoprene rubber being a desirable example, andare preferably of a configuration to lie substantially flat whenevacuated.

Members 51, 52 are connected to a supply hose 53 to a suitable source ofair, not shown. The hose 53 leads A to a T connection 54. Branches 55,56 from said connection are `being led respectively to input nipples 57,58 of the members 51, 52, respectively.

In my aforesaid co-pending application, mechanism is described whereby,when it is desired to lower the floor seals, pressure in an input lineis applied to the seal input connections. Likewise, for so long as thefloor Seals are desired to be retained in a down or a protractedposition, pressure is maintained in the input line. When it is desiredto have the seal raised to retracted position, then the panel pressureis relieved and the seal is urged upwardly under spring tension. Themechanism for introducing pressure into, or alternatively, relievingpressure from the input line, is fully described in the aforesaidapplication and a description thereof will not be repeated herein.

When the door is in the stored or opened position, or is moving from oneto another position, the line 53 is at atmospheric pressure. When thedoor is shifted to the partitioning or closed position, air introducedinto the line 53 gradually causes expansion members 51 and 52 to becomeinflated, such infiation being accompanied by a shifting of the doorseal parts from the position shown in FIGURE 3 to that of FIGURE 4. Itwill be readily recognized that in the course of such movement,

the block 40 will have been shifted downwardly within the chamber 31 `bythe expanding action of the member 51. Similarly, the expansion of themember 52 will shift the entire chamber 32 downwardly with respect tothe block 40 and lthe seal 16 will thus have been depressed a distancewhich is the same as Ithe vertical expansion component of the members 51and 52. It should therefrom be noted that the vertical component ofexpansion applied by the members 51 or 52 is limited by the cooperativeaction of the clips or abutments 4S, 45, 46, 46, against the ledges 43,43, 44, 44 of the block 40. The expansion limiting function of theabutments and ledges is important in that the downward component ofmovement provided by the members 51 and 52 is equalized -to a degree andneither element 51 nor element 52 is permitted to expand beyond adesired degree. Thus, for instance, should element 51 present lessresistance to inflation than element 52, then element 51 might, uponapplication of the pressure to the line 53, cause ledges 43, 43 of block40 to be urged against abutments 45, 45, prior to any movement of theblock 40 in the lower chamber 32. However, when ledges 43, 43 abut clips45, 45, further expansion of element 51 is inhibited and the element 52will thereupon be forced to expand, completing the lowering of the seal.From the aforesaid description, when the line 53 is open to theatmosphere, springs 20 and 20 will draw the seal 16 to the stored orupward position gradually as the air is evacuated from the members 51,52.

It will be readily recognized that the extent of downward deflection ofthe seal with its tandemly propelling pneumatic components is in no wiselimited in the invention heretofore described by the lateral spacing ofthe side panel walls. Also, no single pneumatically expansible memberhas been caused to stretch or extend throughout a locus sufficientlygreat to cause undue abrasion, expansive friction or wear, or undulyexpand in localized areas. While my invention has been described andillustrated in conjunction with a floor seal depressed by two tandemindependently expansible members, it will be obvious to those skilled inthe art, in the light of the foregoing discussions, that more than twomembers may be utilized in order to achieve an even greater downwarddeection where necessary.

Accordingly, what I claim is new and seek to secure by Letters Patent,is:

1. A sealing device for a door or the like having a recessed portionopening onto the lower marginal edge thereof comprising a seal memberreciprocably mounted in said recess and shiftable outwardly therefrom,spring means urging said seal member to retracted position within saidrecess and a composite pneumatic expansion assembly interposed betweenthe upper edge of said recess and said seal member, said assemblyincluding a rst casing engaging said upper edge of said recess andhaving a downwardly directed open mouth portion, =a second casingengaging said seal member Iand having an upwardly directed open mouthportion, a boundary block slidably supported in spanning relation ofsaid casings, and a pair of pneumatically expansible members disposed insaid first and second casings, respectively, lbetween the -upper face ofsaid Iblock and said upper edge of said recess, and the lower face ofsaid block and said seal member, said expansible members having a commoninflation source.

2. A sealing device for a door or the like having -a recessed portionopening onto the lower marginal edge thereof comprising a seal memberreciprocably mounted in said recess land shiftable outwardly therefrom,spring means urging said seal member to retracted position within saidrecess and a composite pneumatic expansion assembly interposed betweenthe upper edge of said recess and said seal member, said `assemblyincluding a pair of expansion casings, each having parallel side wallsnan end Wall, and an open mouth portion opposite said end Wall, saidcasings being positioned in mouth to mouth relation, a boundary blockslidably supported in spanning relation of said casings, said blockhaving opposed parallel wall portions each positioned adjacent an endwall of one of said casings, and normally flat, pneumatically expansiblemembers interposed between said adjacent end walls of said casing andsaid wall portions of said block.

3. A device in accordance with claim 2 wherein said block and casingsinclude cooperative abutment means positioned to limit movement of saidwall portions of said block outwardly ybeyond said mouth portions ofsaid casings.

4. A pneumatic seal device for sealing the space between the lower edgeof a door and a floor comprising a seal member mounted for verticalshifting movement from protracted -lioor engaging to retracted floorreleased positions, spring means urging said seal member to saidretracted position, and composite expansion means interposed between afixed horizontal portion lof said door and said seal member comprising apair of open mouthed expansion chambers disposed in mouth to mouthrelation, with their mouths in a horizontal plane, a Hat pneumaticallyexpansible member disposed in each said chamber, and a iloating spacerblock interposed between said chambers with opposed portions of saidblock forming a sliding mouth sealing wall for each of said chambers.

5. A device in accordance with claim 4 wherein said block and saidchambers include cooperative means for restraining outward slidingmovement of said block beyond the mouth portion of `said chambers.

6. A device in accordance with claim 5 wherein said cooperative meansincludes extending portions on said Ablock and abutment means extending4in partial blocking relation of said mouth portion and in the path ofmovement of said extending portions of said block.

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

1. A SEALING DEVICE FOR A DOOR OR THE LIKE HAVING A RECESSED PORTIONOPENING ONTO THE LOWER MARGINAL EDGE THEREOF COMPRISING A SEAL MEMBERRECIPROCABLY MOUNTED IN SAID RECESS AND SHIFTABLE OUTWARDLY THEREFROM,SPRING MEANS URGING SAID SEAL MEMBER TO RETRACTED POSITION WITHIN SAIDRECESS AND A COMPOSITE PNEUMATIC EXPANSION ASSEMBLY INTERPOSED BETWEENTHE UPPER EDGE OF SAID RECESS AND SAID SEAL MEMBER, SAID ASSEMBLYINCLUDING A FIRST CASING ENGAGING SAID UPPER EDGE OF SAID RECESS ANDHAVING A DOWNWARDLY DIRECTED OPEN MOUTH PORTION, A SECOND CASINGENGAGING SAID SEAL MEMBER AND HAVING AN UPWARDLY DIRECTED OPEN MOUTHPORTION, A BOUNDARY BLOCK SLIDABLY SUPPORTED IN SPANNING RELATION OFSAID CASINGS, AND A PAIR OF PNEUMATICALLY EXPANSIBLE MEMBERS DISPOSED INSAID FIRST AND SECOND CASINGS, RESPECTIVELY, BETWEEN THE UPPER FACE OFSAID BLOCK AND SAID UPPER EDGE OF SAID RECESS, AND THE LOWER FACE OFSAID BLOCK AND SAID SEAL MEMBER, SAID EXPANSIBLE MEMBERS HAVING A COMMONINFLATION SOURCE.